Artist Polly Morgan on Phoebe Philo’s effortless cool, Versace baby clothes and the light in LA

My personal style signifier is a masculine blazer or overcoat; I like the boxy shape and oversized look. My favourites include an Acne overcoat in dark blue wool and a dove-grey one by Richard Nicoll. acnestudios.com

The last thing I bought and loved was a pair of Lara Bohinc cylindrical marble and brass candleholders, made in collaboration with stone specialist Lapicida. I love their clean, modern lines and simple abstract shape. One is pale green, the other pink. From £420; lapicida.com

And the thing I’m eyeing next is a plot of land in Gloucestershire – I’d like to put up a prefab modern house with huge picture windows. I’ve always been inspired by beautifully simple structures like Philip Johnson’s masterful Glass House in Connecticut. The London-based architectural practice Ecospace offers a similar aesthetic. ecospacestudios.com

An unforgettable place I’ve travelled to in the past year is Japan’s Naoshima Island. One half of the island is devoted to Tadao Ando-designed contemporary art galleries; the other is still an industrial fishing town. Parts are quite rough-and-ready, but then you might stumble across a beautiful James Turrell installation on the site of a former temple. The island’s art collection as a whole is amazing and the natural light in the museums is incredible. We stayed at Benesse House, which is the island’s most significant museum as well as a hotel – you can get up and pad around the artworks in the middle of the night. benesse-artsite.jp

The one artist whose work I would collect if I could is Ron Nagle, who makes very small, intriguingly beautiful and tactile – almost edible-looking – sculptures. I only discovered his work a year ago at the Matthew Marks Gallery in New York and started delving deeper. 523 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10011 (+1212-243 0200; matthewmarks.com)

A recent “find” is Bobby Dazzler, a doll-maker in Brick Lane set up by two illustrators. Their soft dolls are quite old-fashioned and eccentric-looking. I have ordered replicas of my two dogs, Tony and Trotsky. Made-to-order, £130; theworldofbobbydazzler.co.uk

An object I would never part with is one of my boyfriend Mat Collishaw’s early works, Catching Fairies, made in his 20s. It’s a picture of him in Clapton Pond, seemingly catching fairies with a net. It is reminiscent of Victorian imagery and was quite a big piece at the time; it was on the cover of Frieze. He looks so young, and there’s something so sweet and hopeful about it.

The site that inspires me is the Dia:Beacon art gallery on the Hudson. It had a profound influence on my work when I went. It was showing a collection of American minimalists I loved, but it was the spectacular way the gallery presented the art that blew me away. I now think more carefully about how I exhibit my pieces – the frame, the plinth – and if there is a weak link I remove it or abandon the whole piece. 3 Beekman Street, New York, NY 12508 (+1845-440 0100; diaart.org)

If I didn’t live in London, the city I would live in is LA. I love the light and the way this pulsating metropolis is fringed by the sea on one side and countryside and canyons on the other. In terms of art, I could happily spend entire days at LACMA, and I like the artists represented at the Blum & Poe gallery, such as Matt Johnson, who makes minimal sculptures from everyday objects. Eames House in Pacific Palisades is another favourite – modernist design can feel clinical, but this house shows it can be cosy and practical too. Blum & Poe, 2727 La Cienega Boulevard (+1310-836 2062; blumandpoe.com). Eames Foundation, 203 Chautauqua Boulevard (+1310-459 9663; eamesfoundation.org). LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard (+1323-857 6010; lacma.org)

My favourite websites include the architecture site ArchDaily.com – I love scrolling through the amazing places and often take a screenshot to file away for inspiration – and Remodelista.com, for interiors ideas.

My style icon is Phoebe Philo. If I see a picture of her, I stop and try to work out how she’s put her outfit together. I love her effortless cool and androgyny. It helps that she’s very beautiful, but she’s just got it. I love the clothes she designs for Céline too.

The last item of clothing I added to my wardrobe was a pair of salmon-pink cotton Miu Miu flares with a dark pyjama-like piping. That 1970s look can be very flattering and they’re a great fit. I wear them with a pair of Miu Miu pink velvet platforms. miumiu.com

The best souvenir I’ve brought home is “sushi” socks from Japan. The Benesse House museum sells a huge selection, all really well made. Some feature simple Japanese art, others are more gimmicky and silly. benesse-artsite.jp

In my fridge you’ll always find cheese. I worked at the Oxford Cheese Company in the city’s covered market on Saturdays when I was 15 and it taught me an appreciation for it. So you’ll always find a hard ewe’s-milk cheese – I love the sweet, nutty taste – and usually a soft, runny cheese and a blue cheese. 50 Market Street, Oxford OX1 3DU (01865-721 420; oxfordcheese.co.uk)

The best gift I’ve given recently was a vintage Rolex that I bought for my boyfriend Mat for his 50th birthday. Usually I’d get him an artwork or a cool print, but a watch seemed really special. My friend Kim Hersov recommended a dealer at an antiques gallery called Silver Fox. I fell for this 1950s watch with a black face and gold numerals; most of the others had white faces, so it stood out, and the dealer swapped the link chain for a black leather strap. It is elegant and discreet. 121 Portobello Road, London W11.

And the best one I’ve received recently is a blue Versace babygrow. When I was pregnant last year I’d joked we were going to dress our baby top-to-toe in designer clothes, so Mat bought it to be funny – but it was also poignant. After years of yearning, I was finally pregnant with our son Clifford, and the item I had fantasised about buying many times is a reminder of the struggle we went through. About £95; versace.com

The book I’m reading is First Bite: How We Learn to Eat by Bee Wilson. It explores our relationships with food and asks whether we are born with certain aversions or if we learn them. It’s about opening the mind – especially a child’s mind – to new flavours. 

The beauty staples I’m never without are Sisley handcream, which is quite rich; my hands get dry as I use chemicals in my work. And my Ted Lapidus fragrance, Creation. My father bought some for my mother when we were small, and when the bottle ran out we could never find it again. She’s moved on now – new husband, new scent – but still keeps the empty bottle on her dressing table. I came across it again long after and have ended up wearing it myself. It’s incredibly evocative. Sisley Confort Extrême Handcream, £62 for 75ml; sisley-paris.com. Ted Lapidus Creation, £27.13 for 100ml EDT; amazon.co.uk

The last music I streamed was some 1980s pop. I only listen to music if I’ve had a few drinks and I want to dance. I love Roxy Music, David Bowie, Dire Straits: the stuff my dad used to listen to. The rest of the time I listen to Radio 4, even when I go running. I love programmes like Moral Maze and The Life Scientific – I’m not very hip. 

An indulgence I would never forgo is evenings in. I’ll cook something nice and we’ll watch a documentary or box set. We’ve just finished The People vs OJ Simpson, which was compelling. I prefer real life to fiction; I want to learn something.

My favourite room in my house is the bedroom, a real retreat. We invested in a great mattress and the first thing I think about when I arrive home is getting into bed with my laptop and answering emails. The dogs pile in too; I love it.

If I weren’t an artist, I would be an architect. I’ve always had an interest in form and shape – as a teenager my bedroom was very eccentric, with its collection of handblown glass and a big triangle of colour painted on one wall – and I’m always taking pictures of buildings I like. But I’m very slapdash, so I’m not sure I’d have been a very good one.